Act II. In the King's bedroom at Versailles the ceremony of the royal

levee is taking place. This medley of laughable ceremonial and the practice of the highest refinement makes a sharp contrast with the wild ferment and discontent among the people, of which, however, no one hears anything in these rooms and will know nothing. So the commandant _Massimelle_ is among those waiting because he has to lay before the _King_ the death sentence on the unsubdued Swiss. Naturally the _King_ thinks nothing about bringing an obsolete law into force again, and leaves the decision to _Massimelle's_ wife, _Blanchefleur_. She begs _Thallus's_ life for herself and wants to learn the fellow manners in her service. Silly as are the thoughts of this whole company, so also are those of _Blanchefleur_. Through a whim she has obtained the release of the young Swiss, now she wants as a reward to have diversion with him. The high authorities already are glad to play shepherds and shepherdesses; what would happen if they could have a real Swiss as a shepherd! _Cleo_, the court lady, is perfectly delighted with the idea and awaits with enjoyment the play in which _Primus Thallus_ shall appear with _Blanchefleur_. But the play takes a serious turn, _Primus Thallus_ sees no joke in the thing. To him, _Blanchefleur_ appears as the image of his dreams, and yet he knows that this dream never can be a reality, at least not for a man to whom, as to this Swiss, love is not merely a form of amusement in life. So _Blanchefleur_ has to give up her shepherd's dream and let _Primus Thallus_ withdraw.